Rising up at Night

Congolese artist-filmmaker Nelson Makengo paints a striking, immersive portrait of Kinshasa - a city plunged into darkness through infrastructure problems, with a resilient population seeking alternative sources of light.

The city’s residents struggle to access electricity, relying on LEDs and living in near darkness. Shot mostly at night, with careful observation and impressionistic cinematography, Makengo captures a community rallying, renewing their faith, and surviving the multiple hardships of their city.